CONFRQNTING THE CHALLENGE OF DISTRIBUTION: WOMEN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKEXS IN INDIA Dipti Gupta A Thesis in The Department of Communication Studies Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts at Coucordia University Montreal, Quebec, Canada May 1998 (c) Dipti Gupta, 1998 National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1*1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington OttawaON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada Yow file Votre refërence Our Us Notre refdrence The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................... ...... .. Acknowledgements . .. II Part 1: introduction ......................................................... 1 Chapter One: The Early Films, Cornrnitted Documentaries and Women's Cinema. 15 Chapter Two: Filmmaking and Distribution: A Challenge for Women Filmmaken in India . .. 25 Chapter Three: Suhasini Mulay: Focusing on Distribution . 39 Conclusion The Future of the Indian Docurnentary Film: Strategies of Production, Exhibition, And Distribution in India . .. 54 Part II: THE FILMlMAKERS SPEAK.. .. (Transcripts of Interviews with Filmmakers) Questionnaire ........................................ ................ 58 Interview with Jharna Jhaveri: New Delhi . 59 Interview with Rinki Roy: Bombay . .. 78 Interview with Manjira Datta: New Delhi . 89 Interview with Suhasini Mulay: New Delhi . 97 Bibliography ........................................................ 125 Abstract Confionting the Challenge of Distribution: Women Docurnentary Filmmakers in India Dipti Gupta Since 1980, Indian women have moved into documentary filmmaking in increasing numbers using film as a tool for raising consciousness and social change. Their work reflects an extensive variety of styles and genres, a comprehensive range of subjects, a broad spectrum of ideological perspectives - revealing the diversity that India represents. Yet, independent documentary filrnrnakers remain economicalIy and politically marginalized in India and unknown in the international comrnunity. This is a study of four Indian women documentary filmmakers: Jharna Jhaveri, Rinki Roy, Manjira Datta and Suhasini Mulay. At the center of this thesis are intewiews with these four women which were conducted in 1996 and 1997. These interviews chronicle the practices of documentary film making and the struggles of these women to make space in the industry. The thesis acknowledges the role of women in documentary film making in India and the process of its production and distribution of documentary films. In conclusion the thesis indicates the need for a distribution nehvork in India to promote and circulate the works of documentary filrnrnakers. Acknowledgrnents The idea for this thesis was sown during the tirne 1 worked with Suhasini Mulay in New Deihi. I consider her my mentor and fnend and dedicate this work to her. Working with her, 1 leamt to value documentary films and she challenged and inspired me to write about the work of women documentary filmmakers in India. This project would not have been possible without the participation and encouragement of filmmakers like Suhasini, fiama Jhaveri, Manjira Datta, Reena Mohan, Seemantinï Dhum, Rinki Roy, Sabina Kidwai, Ranjani Majumdar, Shikha Ihingan and Sehjo Singh. This thesis includes and focuses mainly on the work of only four of the mentioned filmmakers, but the rest of the material will be used in future projects. During my time at Concordia, I've been fortunate to work with a stimulating and diverse group of teachers in the Graduate Program in Communication. I would like to thank Kim Sawchuk who saw me through the many times when I despaired of ever finishing this project. I thank her for her advice, guidance and fkiendship. Thanks also to Thomas Waugh for believing in this project and to Tilly Janowitz for her encouragement and support. Each of them, in their own ways, taught me a great deal and made this a leaming process. 1 thank Sheelah O'Neil and Sharon Fitch for their unconditional assistance. 1 would Iike to thank al1 the iibrarians - at the Webster and the Vanier at Concordia University who were always very kind and helpful. No project is complete without unending support and encouragement from farnily and fkiends. There are literally too many to name but I will always be gratehl to each one of them. Nevertheless, 1 am grateful to rny parents for the unending support and love always. I would like to especially thank Robyn Diner for editing my thesis and Raminder Singh for helping me to transcribe the interviews and guide me through my major cornputer problems. I thank Luvleen Mishra for joining me at the Film Festival at Bombay and encouraging me at every step with her wit and humor. 1 appreciate the constant support 1 got fiom my partner Rahul Varma to see through this project. The Shastri Indo-Canadian fellowship provided me with both a travel grant and a research grant, allowing me to undertake research in India and conduct the interviews. Finally, I am happy to Say that my daughter Aliya was boni at the time 1 was stmggling to finish this project. ... III INTRODUCTION Hzstory and Contert oflhe Study There are two main reasons why I initiated this study of Indian women documentary fi lmmakers. First, women directors of Indian ongin have been generally ignored in academic film literature. Secondly, 1 wished to explore the question of documentaries and social change. With these No preliminary ideas in mind 1 proceeded. The task seemed quite simple: my approach was to conduct structured interviews and to do a textual analysis of social or educational documentary films. These explorations would take place within the nibric of a sustained developrnent to understand the work of these filmmakers within an Indian context. However, as 1progressed with the research f realized, that no documentation of the contribution of Indian women documentary filmmakers existed. As in any initial exploration, I found less of what 1 was looking for and more new directions to research. In the end, I did not really look at the films. Rather 1 concentrate.my efforts on writing about the challenges that women face in this field. Since August 1987, 1 have been associated with Cinemart Foundation, an independent group of docurnentary filmmakers based in New Delhi. The group was headed initially by Tapan Bose and Suhasini Mulay who have since lefl to pursue other interests. 1 was the second woman to join Cinemart Foundation. This was just the begi~ingof my exposure to an industry mostly dominated by men. During the following four years that 1 worked in that organization, I realized that there was a dearth of documentation on the contribution of women in the field of documentary filmmaking. For example, there was hardly any record of the work that women had done in the field and most of the articles in joumals and magazines focused on the developrnent of docurnentary and short film in India, rather than on individual contributions. Upon moving to Canada, and entering the academic sphere, my view was fûrther confirmed. Many people were aware of the Bombay Film Indushy and could discuss the "song and dance" aspect of Bollywood cinemat Journais like Screen, Cineaste, Framework and others within academic circles have camed extensive articles focusing on different aspects of this industry. Yet, the movement of documentary filmmakers in the Indian sub-continent remains nearly invisible. In the past decade or so there have been only a few articles and some secondary literature that have featured the documentary scene in hdia. Hence, my peers expressed surprise that there were any women documentary filmmakers in India. in turn, 1 decided to write my thesis on the contribution of Indian women documentary filmmakers. First, Second and mird Cinema: A Literature Review Cinerna came to India within one year of its invention in the West. It started with short films on wrestling and the training of monkeys made by the pioneering filmmaker Sakharam Bhatwadekar.* Two tendencies emerged much later: the concept of film as an art form and the culture of short and documentary films.' --- -- I India's motion picture industry has been dominated by "commercial" or Bollywood fih. Films made with mega stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Sahan Khan and others are widely known outside the country. This industry produces mainly popular and commercial films that are the mainstay of india's film industry. These films are popuiar with most of the people and are widely distributed within india and outside. They are quite popular with the Indian diaspora living outside the nation.